Island



(No Model.)

0. N. RICHARDSON. EXTENSION LADDER HOOK.

No. 430,885. Patented June 24, 1890.

1 l X 5 N1 1 WITNEEEEEI .Z'N VENTUE:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES N. RICHARDSON, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

EXTENSION-LADDER HOOK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 430,885, dated June 24,1890. Application filed April 25, 1890! Serial No. 349,431. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES N. RICHARD- SON, of the city and county ofProvidence and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Hooks for Extension-Ladders; and I hereby declare thatthe following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of thisspecification.

This invention has reference to an improvementin the construction of anautomatic hook for extension-ladders; and it consists in the peculiarand novel construction of the baseplate, the hook, and the latch, aswill be more fully set forth hereinafter.

Extension-ladders as heretofore constructed have been provided withhooks constructed to connect and disconnect two ladders. These hooks,aswell as the operating-latch,the spring, and the stop, have each beensecured to the sides of the ladder, and as the ladders are exposed tothe weather the several parts, and particularly the hooks, are liable towork loose the screw forming the pivotal connection.

The objects of thisinvention are to secure the different parts to astrong firm metal base, construct the latch so as to form the stop forthe hook as well as the operating-lever, and to pivot the hook and latchon posts forming part of the plate.

Figure 1 is a side View, and Fig. 2 an edge view, of my improvedextension-ladder hook.

In the drawings, the number 4. indicates a metal plate having the raisedends 5,provided with the screw-holes (3. The rim 7 extends from theplate 4 on a line with the ends 5, so that when secured to the side ofthe ladder by screws passing through the holes 6 a clear space will bebetween the ladder and the plate 4 for the hook to operate in. The plateat is provided with the rib S. The post 9, on which the latch 10 ispivoted, is held in place by the screw 11-. A shoulder is formed on thebase of the post 9 and a washer is placed between the latch 10 and thescrew 11 to reduce the friction at these points. The hook 12 is pivotedon the post 13 and is secured by the screw 14:. The spring 15 is woundaround the post 16, the short end bearing against the raised end 5 andthe longer end against the hook 12.

It will be seen that the latch 10 forms a stop against which the hook 12is held by the spring 15, and also that when the latch 10 is moved upinto the position shown in,Fig. 1 inbroken lines the hook will be forcedinto the case formed by the plate 4 and the side of the ladder, as shownby the broken lines, and also that the hook will be closed by the latch10 when in the position shown in broken lines, so that one ladder mayslide on the other without engaging with the hook in the same manner ashas been done heretofore with extension-ladders provided with automatichooks.

The hook, the latch, and the spring are all secured to posts formingpart of the plate 4. These parts are fastened to the posts by screws, sothat the self-contained complete device may be handled or shipped andcan be readily secured to a ladder, while the screws, by preventinglateral play, are of some utility, but may be dispensed with if desired.The operation of this class of hooks on extension-ladders is well known,and consists in allowing the upper end of the hook and the latch toslide over the rungs when moved upward and to engage with the rungs whenmoved downward.

'Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- In an extension-ladder hook, the combina tion, withthe plate provided with the raised ends 5, the rim 7, and the posts 9,13, and 16, of the hook 12, pivotally secured on the boss 14, the latch10, pivoted on the post 9 and forming a stop for the spring, and thespring 15, constructed to be secured to the ladder and operate the hook,as described.

CHARLES N. RICHARDSON.

l/Vitnesses:

M. F. BLIGH, J. A. MILLER, J r.

